What to include in a car safety kit

If you have ever been driving down a dark and abandoned road at night and had your car manifest into a demon that won't drive, you are not alone. Hopefully, you may have a car service, their number and cell phone service. If not, it may be time to break out a roadside emergency kit and use some creative problem solving to either get yourself back on the road or flag someone down.

A car safety kit is a key component to roadside safety and should be included in the back of your truck or the trunk of the car. For those with an extensive commute or those who travel often, the kit can assist in getting you back on the road in under an hour. Before outfitting your roadside safety kit, you may wish to check out an Auto Accessories Garage promotion code for $15 off an entire purchase.

A roadside emergency kit should be divided into two categories - auto and medical.

The auto portion of the kit should include items such as jumper cables (instructions for use will be either on the cables or in any auto owner’s manual), oil, flat head and Phillips head screw drivers, wrenches, pliers, extra fuses, anti freeze, duct tape and washer fluid, according to Edmunds. A Northern Auto Parts promotion code for 15 percent off all purchases may assist in finding these products.

In case of a flat tire, include a tire pressure gauge, a spare or donut, a tire inflator and a jack.

General emergency supplies to have on hand include a blanket (preferably fire resistant or a space blanket), bottled water, ice scraper, high fiber and protein snacks such as trail mix with nuts or granola, a flash light and spare batteries, a collapsible but strong shovel and winter gear, such as boots, parka and gloves (if applicable). An iCarkits promotion code could help you afford the variety of pieces a safety kit requires.

Once the auto portion of your safety kit is complete, it is time to focus on building the medical emergency part. A medical kit should include gauze, bandages, antiseptic cream, fever reliever, pain reliever, burn ointment, butterfly bandages, an ace bandage, medical tape and an anti-inflammatory medication. These basics may provide sufficient treatment until you are able to make it to a medical professional.

Packing all of these things in a car can assist in a quick fix to get you back onto the road in no time at all, preventing an unexpected event from turning into a day-long process to fix. Increasing safety on the road through a variety of practices will allow peace of mind for loved ones and the driver. The contents of a roadside kit may change depending on the environment you are traveling. There is obviously no need to keep a parka in the back of a car in the middle of summer. Regardless, for most of the kit’s contents, it is always a good idea to have a back up plan.

Keeping an emergency kit in the back of a car can assist in keeping you and your passengers safe for the duration of a trip or during everyday travel. Just remember not to remove it! There's nothing quite as frustrating as being in need of something and not remembering where you left it in a time of need.